Best Econtalk Russ Roberts Podcasts (2025)

1
Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge 1:23:20

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2d ago1:23:20

1:23:20

Why are Super Bowl ads so good for launching certain kinds of new products? Why do we all drive on the same side of the road? And why, despite laughing and crying together, do we often misread what others think? According to bestselling author and Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, it all comes down to common knowledge, or the phenomenon that happ…

1
How Did America Build the Arsenal of Democracy? (with Brian Potter) 1:05:05

9d ago1:05:05

1:05:05

American manufacturing of aircraft during WWII dwarfed that of its enemies. By the end of the war, an American assembly line was producing a B-24 bomber in less than an hour. But that success was far from inevitable. Structural engineer and writer Brian Potter speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the logistical challenges of ramping up product…

1
How Teams Succeed (with Colin Fisher) 1:03:22

16d ago1:03:22

1:03:22

What makes some groups thrive while others crash and burn? According to organizational-behavior scholar Colin Fisher, the real villains are rarely individuals, but dysfunctional teams and organizations. Listen as he and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss the reasons for the free-rider problem and the importance of meaningful, well-defined tasks to inc…

1
Humans Are Overrated (with Christine Webb) 1:10:53

23d ago1:10:53

1:10:53

Are humans the most intelligent species, or just the most arrogant? NYU primatologist Christine Webb, author of The Arrogant Ape, believes that human exceptionalism is a myth that does more harm than good. Listen as she speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about how research has skewed our understanding of animals' capabilities, the surprising inner…

1
Hemingway, Love, and War (with David Wyatt) 1:06:28

30d ago1:06:28

1:06:28

What can Ernest Hemingway teach us today about the morality of war, the eternal and transient nature of love, and how to write a masterpiece? Listen as author and teacher David Wyatt talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about Hemingway's epic For Whom the Bell Tolls. Topics include Hemingway's role in the wars of the 20th century, the book's context …

1
Tim Ferriss on Tim Ferriss (and much much more) 2:06:49

1M ago2:06:49

2:06:49

Cold plunges. Exogenous ketones. Pu-erh tea--but hold the breakfast: it's all par for the morning routine, at least if you're entrepreneur, self-experimenter, and king of the lifehacks, Tim Ferriss. From how he manages the challenges of his celebrity to how he manages to stay in great shape; how he does--and when he doesn't--harness the power of AI…

1
Learning to Think Like Someone Else (with David Marquet) 1:03:46

1M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Former submarine commander David Marquet joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to explore how distancing--thinking like someone else, somewhere else, or sometime else--can unlock better choices in business and life. They talk about leadership without giving orders, how to empower teams, and what it means to see yourself as a coach rather than a boss. Along…

1
Let Me Be Forgotten (with Lowry Pressly) 1:21:00

2M ago1:21:00

1:21:00

What do we lose when every moment is recorded, every action scrutinized, and every past mistake preserved? Philosopher and author Lowry Pressly joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to discuss why privacy isn't just about secrets or information control, the necessity of spontaneity, the importance of moral growth, and what we need to become fully human. Fr…

1
Read Like a Champion (with Doug Lemov) 1:03:56

2M ago1:03:56

1:03:56

Many students graduate high school today without having read a book cover to cover. Many students struggle to learn to read at all. How did this happen? Listen as educator and author Doug Lemov talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the failed fads in reading education, the mistaken emphasis on vocabulary as a skill, and the importance of backgro…

1
James Marriott on Reading 1:25:22

2M ago1:25:22

1:25:22

Is long form reading a dying pastime? Journalist and cultural critic James Marriott joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to defend the increasingly quaint act of reading a book in our scrolling-obsessed, AI-summarized age. He urges juggling a paper book and a Kindle, recounts ditching his smartphone to rescue his attention, and shares tactics for finding …

1
How to Walk the World (with Chris Arnade) 1:14:38

2M ago1:14:38

1:14:38

Skip the Mona Lisa when you visit Paris. Don't tour the Coliseum in Rome. Walk, don’t hurry. Chris Arnade speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about a different way to travel. Listen as Arnade shares what he learned from Istanbul's small community mosques and how Avignon's Congolese-neighborhood cathedrals provided moving moments of spirituality. He…

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What Is Capitalism? (with Mike Munger) 1:19:48

3M ago1:19:48

1:19:48

What is capitalism, really? Drawing on Adam Smith, Douglass North, and his own experience as a teacher and economist, economist Michael Munger of Duke University discusses three stages of economic development with EconTalk's Russ Roberts: voluntary exchange, markets, and capitalism. Along the way, the conversation explores the moral and institution…

1
The Deceptive Power of Maps (with Paulina Rowinska) 1:09:16

3M ago1:09:16

1:09:16

How can the state of Colorado have nearly 700 sides? Why is a country's coastline as long as you want it to be? And how is it that your UPS driver has more routes to choose from than there are stars in the universe? Listen as mathematician Paulina Rowinska talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the mathematical tricks hiding in plain sight with e…

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How to Be a Super Ager (with Eric Topol) 1:01:24

3M ago1:01:24

1:01:24

What if we could delay--or even prevent--Alzheimer's, cancer, and heart disease? What if much of what you know about aging is wrong? Listen as cardiologist and author Eric Topol of the Scripps Research Institute talks about his new book Super Agers with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. They discuss why your genes matter less than you think, how your immune…

1
Leon Kass on the Wisdom of Rousseau 1:17:07

3M ago1:17:07

1:17:07

Does technology liberate us or enslave us? How do our social interactions affect our sense of self and our emotional health? Listen as author and master teacher Leon Kass and EconTalk's Russ Roberts do a close reading of a few paragraphs of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and explore some of the deepest aspects of our relationships with each other and with o…

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Two Cheers for Libertarianism and Econ 101 (with Noah Smith) 1:22:06

4M ago1:22:06

1:22:06

Economist Noah Smith was so focused on libertarianism's theoretical flaws, he overlooked its political importance. Trump's tariff policy opened his eyes and made him re-assess the virtues of both libertarianism and Econ 101. Listen as he and EconTalk's Russ Roberts explore the way political competition has shaped economic policy in surprising ways …

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EconTalk #1000 (with Russ Roberts) 1:08:49

4M ago1:08:49

1:08:49

In honor of EconTalk's 1,000th episode, host Russ Roberts reflects on his long, strange journey from pioneer of the podcast format to weekly interviewer of leading economists, authors, and thinkers. Hear him answer your--and Chat GPT's--questions about why he got started, how he preps, and how he picks guests. He also explains why debate gave way t…

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Nature vs. Nurture (with Paul Bloom) 1:07:44

4M ago1:07:44

1:07:44

How much of our success or failure is written in our genes? How much is under our control? Is it nature or nurture or is that dichotomy too simplistic? Hear EconTalk's Russ Roberts and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss why the nature vs. nurture question is actually worth taking seriously and how by understanding it we can help ourselves and others.…

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Inside the Mysterious World of Credit Cards (with Patrick McKenzie) 1:15:14

4M ago1:15:14

1:15:14

Patrick McKenzie explains to EconTalk's Russ Roberts how credit cards work, who makes money from them and how, and gives his take on whether cash customers and debit card users subsidize the users of credit cards with reward programs.By EconTalk: Russ Roberts

1
The Past and Present of Privacy and Public Life (with Tiffany Jenkins) 1:22:59

5M ago1:22:59

1:22:59

A paradox of our time is our willingness to bare all to strangers while worrying about who exactly is watching us online and anywhere else. Listen as author Tiffany Jenkins discusses her book, Strangers and Intimates, with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore the role of Martin Luther, J.S. Mill, reality TV, and …

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The Economics of Tariffs and Trade (with Doug Irwin) 1:32:53

5M ago1:32:53

1:32:53

Is the United States victimized by trade? What causes trade deficits? Are higher tariffs a good idea? Can manufacturing jobs return to the United States? Economist Doug Irwin of Dartmouth College answers these questions and more in this wide-ranging conversation with EconTalk's Russ Roberts.By EconTalk: Russ Roberts

1
The Past and Future of AI (with Dwarkesh Patel) 1:36:44

5M ago1:36:44

1:36:44

Dwarkesh Patel interviewed the most influential thinkers and leaders in the world of AI and chronicled the history of AI up to now in his book, The Scaling Era. Listen as he talks to EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the book, the dangers and potential of AI, and the role scale plays in AI progress. The conversation concludes with a discussion of the a…

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Why Christianity Needs to Help Save Democracy (with Jonathan Rauch) 1:20:08

5M ago1:20:08

1:20:08

How does a nice Jewish boy who is also a gay atheist have the chutzpah to lecture Christianity on its obligations to democracy? Listen to author Jonathan Rauch talk about his book Cross Purposes with EconTalk's Russ Roberts as Rauch makes the case for what he calls a thicker Christianity.By EconTalk: Russ Roberts

1
Rational and Religious (with Ross Douthat) 1:17:31

5M ago1:17:31

1:17:31

How can we explain the world's underlying order? How does consciousness emerge? And why do people from such different cultures have such similar near-death experiences? Listen as Ross Douthat, New York Times columnist and author of the new book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, argues that these and other unanswerable questions underscore …

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The Music and Magic of John and Paul (with Ian Leslie) 1:17:48

6M ago1:17:48

1:17:48

At the heart of the success of the Beatles was the creative chemistry and volatile friendship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Listen as author Ian Leslie discusses his book, John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. It's a deep dive into music and friendship as well as a revisionist history about how John and Paul cre…

Econtalk Russ Roberts Podcasts

1
EconTalk

Russ Roberts

1
EconTalk Wiblin Top 10

EconTalk: Russ Roberts, Library of Economics and Liberty

51
The Incerto Podcast

Curious Worldview Podcast

1
Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge 1:23:20

1
How Did America Build the Arsenal of Democracy? (with Brian Potter) 1:05:05

1
How Teams Succeed (with Colin Fisher) 1:03:22

1
Humans Are Overrated (with Christine Webb) 1:10:53

1
Hemingway, Love, and War (with David Wyatt) 1:06:28

1
Tim Ferriss on Tim Ferriss (and much much more) 2:06:49

1
Learning to Think Like Someone Else (with David Marquet) 1:03:46

1
Let Me Be Forgotten (with Lowry Pressly) 1:21:00

1
Read Like a Champion (with Doug Lemov) 1:03:56

1
James Marriott on Reading 1:25:22

1
How to Walk the World (with Chris Arnade) 1:14:38

1
What Is Capitalism? (with Mike Munger) 1:19:48

1
The Deceptive Power of Maps (with Paulina Rowinska) 1:09:16

1
How to Be a Super Ager (with Eric Topol) 1:01:24

1
Leon Kass on the Wisdom of Rousseau 1:17:07

1
Two Cheers for Libertarianism and Econ 101 (with Noah Smith) 1:22:06

1
EconTalk #1000 (with Russ Roberts) 1:08:49

1
Nature vs. Nurture (with Paul Bloom) 1:07:44

1
Inside the Mysterious World of Credit Cards (with Patrick McKenzie) 1:15:14

1
The Past and Present of Privacy and Public Life (with Tiffany Jenkins) 1:22:59

1
The Economics of Tariffs and Trade (with Doug Irwin) 1:32:53

1
The Past and Future of AI (with Dwarkesh Patel) 1:36:44

1
Why Christianity Needs to Help Save Democracy (with Jonathan Rauch) 1:20:08

1
Rational and Religious (with Ross Douthat) 1:17:31

1
The Music and Magic of John and Paul (with Ian Leslie) 1:17:48